Before going on to describe the different theories relating to natural gender selection, I’d like to make it clear that the methods I will now explain are contradictory, and do not guarantee that when you conceive, you will actually have a girl. If you want to get pregnant with a girl and a girl only, it might be a good idea to examine what your feelings would be if you conceived a son instead. After all, none of the following methods are fool-proof. Even the medical gender selection techniques used in some countries do not have a 100 percent success rate.

Bearing that in mind, here are the most popular and commonly used natural ways to have a daughter.

The Shettles method is by far the most popular natural gender selection method. Developed by a doctor called Shettles, as the name suggests, this method advises couples trying to conceive a girl to have intercourse around three days before ovulation, in the missionary position. The Shettles methods is said to be the most accurate at-home gender selection technique, and we use it with the ovulation calendar on this site too. If you are interested in using the Shettles method, please check out our ovulation calendar to help you with it!

Another doctor called Dr Elizabeth Whelan developed the Whelan method of natural gender selection. According to her theory, the Shettles method was developed after looking into gender in combination with artificial insemination. Dr Whelan thus claims that intercourse should be timed nearer to ovulation, but still before it.

Then, there is the method that is referred to as “O + 12”. Unlike the previous two techniques, this one was developed by a mother who failed to conceive a girl using the Shettles method. She has six boys before finding that what worked for her was having intercourse not before, but around 12 hours after ovulation.

Finally, there are theories that believe that dietary supplements can have a great impact on gender selection. Some people claim that women taking magnesium supplements have bigger chances of having a girl. Others claim that herbal supplements like Lydia Pinkham’s Herbal Compound encourage a vaginal atmosphere that is favorable for sperm that with X chromosomes, which could contribute to conceiving a girl.

There are many books available about natural gender selection. I advised anyone who is serious about conceiving a girl to read a few, and try to work out which method makes most sense. But again, none of this methods promises to be a 100 percent effective.

One of the first prerequisites for successful conception is having a regular sex. Increasing libido is thus the primary goal. Few supplements such as Maca root powder could be of great help. Maca Root (Lepidium Meyenii) contains significant amounts of amino acids, complex carbohydrates, Vitamins B1, B2, C, E and minerals including calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc and iron. Maca is used traditionally to increase libido in both men and women, also increasing sperm count and mobility in men, and improving menstrual irregularities and hormonal imbalance in women. Maca differs from other supplements because it stimulates the glands in the body to produce the hormones according to the individuals’ unique requirements, rather than introducing hormones from outside.
There are other herbal based supplements that could help increasing your libido, such as Dong Quai or wild jam, but you should consult qualified herbal specialist before taking any of them.

Vitamins and minerals play very important role in conception process, so they should be included in regular diet as a food or in a form of additional supplements.

Vitamin B is one of the most essential supplements for fertility. Vitamin B6 and B12 are particularly important for fertility and hormonal function. This vitamin needs to be replenished all the time, as it’s water soluble, leaving the body with urination. Foods rich in Vitamin B are turkey, liver, tuna, chili peppers, lentils, bananas, potatoes, oats, barley, wheat bran, avocado, salmon, Brazil nuts. In addition, brewer’s yeast is good source of B vitamins. Other meats, dairy products and eggs are high in vitamin B12, which is essential for the production of genetic material in conjunction with Folic Acid.

Folic Acid or Folate is also a member of the Vitamin B family, very important for the fertility. Human body cannot store Folic Acid, so it must be replenished regularly. It can be deficient in people with Celiac disease and Crohn’s disease. Also, alcohol use, the contraceptive pills and other drugs can cause Folic Acid to be excreted out of the body. Folic acid is found naturally in dark green leafy vegetables, apricots, avocados, carrots, egg yolks, liver, melons, whole grains, and yeast’s.

Vitamin A is an antioxidant essential at conception for the developing embryo. There has been some controversy that high doses of this Vitamin may be harmful to baby development, so smaller amounts of this Vitamin are recommended. Food rich in Vitamin A include carrots, tomatoes, cabbage, spinach and broccoli.

Vitamin C is also an antioxidant, helpful to sperm production and healthy ovulation. Food sources include blackcurrants, red peppers, guavas and citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruits, strawberries, kiwi, broccoli and Brussel sprouts.

Vitamin E is important as an antioxidant. Low levels of Vitamin E could cause subfertility in men and women. This vitamin is found in wheat germ cereal, dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, sunflower seeds, brown rice, milk, eggs, meat, soya beans and sweet potatoes.

Zinc is an essential component of genetic material and plays an important role in the fertility of women, and especially men, affecting sperm count. Zinc is also vital to healthy cell division, which makes it essential at conception. Zinc occurs naturally in oats, rye, pumpkin seeds, almonds and peas.

Selenium is important antioxidant protecting the body from free radicals. It is especially important for healthy sperm production. However, it should be consumed in small amounts, otherwise it could cause toxicity. It could be found in corn, wheat, rice, Brazil nuts and walnuts, soybeans, animal products such as beef, egg and dairy. Tuna is also important source of selenium.

Iron is important for the production of red blood cells and oxygen transport. Low iron levels can be a factor in subfertility. Great sources of iron are liver, spinach, beans, kale, and broccoli.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFA’s) are, as their name says, essential for healthy hormone production. These acids are crucial for the development of the baby brain, eyes and central nervous system. Great source of EFA’s are fish oils.

L-arginine and L-carnitine are two amino acids essential to healthy sperm production. They are found in dairy products, meat, poultry, walnuts, peanuts, chocolate, seafood and fish, wheat germ and flour.

It is essential to eat foods rich in zinc, and every approximately every meal should contain at least 10% of recommended daily allowance (11 mg for adult males and 8 mg for females ; 11 mg during pregnancy and 12 during lactation). Bellow you will find a list of foods rich in zinc.

Oysters

Also called aphrodisiac are the most potent source of this ‘pregnancy mineral’. 100 grams of oysters contain more 25 milligrams of zinc, which is twice as much you need per day. Oysters, especially non-cultivated, are besides zinc, a great source of selenium, and both zinc and selenium are often low in the modern nutrition. Oysters are also a rich source of protein, carbohydrates and lipids, and are one of the top choices in low-cholesterol diets. As little as four medium size oysters supply the recommended daily allowance of iron, copper, iodine, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese and phosphorus. Oysters also tend to be excellent real food sources of Vitamin D. They are considered the healthiest when eaten raw on the half shell, but since raw foods oysters may carry bacteria, persons with chronic liver disease, impaired immune systems or cancer should avoid eating raw oysters.

Shellfish

Shellfish is right behind oysters – 100 grams of shellfish contains as much as 20 milligrams of zinc which is still more than recommended daily allowance. Most shellfish is naturally low in total and saturated fat, and only moderate in cholesterol content, which means that most shellfish can still fit into a heart healthy diet. Generally shellfish is a great source of omega 3 acids, minerals and proteins.

Brewer’s yeast

If you are vegan, or if you simply aren’t a fan of oysters and shellfish, then your choice for zinc rich food should be brewer’s yeast or/and wheat germ. They both contain 17 milligrams of zinc per 100 grams.

When Brewer’s yeast is used as a dietary supplement, it can provide the body with a number of essential vitamins and minerals including zinc and vitamin B. However, if you plan to include brewer’s yeast into your diet, start small, because it may cause gases or at least problems with digestion. Also avoid this supplement if you have candidiasis, gout, or high blood levels of uric acid. Brewer’s yeast might help you if you have diabetes, hypoglycemia, high cholesterol, eczema, nervousness, fatigue, and constipation, but you should definitely consult with your health provider and not experiment on your own.

Wheat bran, all bran cereal and some other enriched cereals are a great source of mineral zinc. Pine nuts, pecan nuts and cashew nuts contain more than 6 milligrams of zinc per 100 grams. Among cheeses, parmesan cheese is the zinc king, containing as much as 5 milligrams of zinc in 100 grams of parmesan.

Zinc rich foods include beef, lamb, pork, crabmeat, turkey, chicken, lobster, clams and salmon, but if you are a vegetarian you should pay special attention to consuming enough dairy products such as milk, yogurt and cheese. Brown rice should also be your choice, and don’t forget about whole wheat bread, wholegrain cereals, beans and potato. One of the top vegan zinc foods are also pumpkin seeds, since they offer one of the most concentrated non-meat food sources of zinc.

• zinc balances your blood sugar
• zinc boosts your immune system
• zinc supports your smell and taste sensitivity

Reasons good enough to eat zinc rich foods, aren’t they?

How do you know if you have zinc deficiency?

You might have zinc deficiency if you notice some of the following symptoms:

• impaired sense of taste and/or smell
• constant or frequent (skin) infections (not necessary acne, but acne are also often in connection with zinc deficiency)
• constant or frequent colds
• if you notice appetite loss
• growth retardation in children
• depression
• in more severe cases, zinc deficiency causes hair loss, diarrhea, lack of sexual development in males, hypogonadism in males, and eye and skin lesions

Although zinc is often poorly absorbed by human body (only a mere 15%-40% of the zinc actually gets absorbed by your body overall, which is especially true for non-meat zinc food sources) overdosing with zinc is also possible, especially if you consume zinc supplements and/or zinc enriched cereals in high amounts.

Symptoms of zinc overdose include stomach pain, vomiting, nausea, and cramping. Important indicator of zinc toxicity is metallic and bitter taste in the mouth.

Recommended daily allowance of zinc intake is approximately 11 mg for adult males and 8 mg for females (11 mg during pregnancy and 12 during lactation).

Connection between Zinc and Fertility

Studies prove there is a connection between zinc and fertility, also zinc is one of the most widely researched nutrients in connection with fertility, not only for women, but men too. Its role is to attract or more scientifically expressed utilize efficiently reproductive hormones, both progesterone and oestrogen. Therefore zinc is very important component of genetic material, and when people have problems with zinc deficiency, this can potentially cause chromosome changes in either males or females, contributing to (in)fertility problems and increased risk of miscarriage during first trimester of pregnancy.

Most often zinc is connected to male fertility for a good reason: zinc deficiency is one of the main causes of male infertility. Zinc is also one of the minerals that are found in high concentration in (healthy) sperm – it is essentially important for healthy sperm because it is used to create the sperm cell. Without proper amounts of zinc in sperm, the sperm cell can malfunction or not swim properly – zinc deficiency causes sperm abnormalities, such as reduced sperm count and abnormalities in sperm motility.